Chapter Seventy-Three: Forced Marriage

  Lin Zhaoyan thought for a moment and suddenly smiled again.

  She was shocked by the scene of Xiao Xi drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, and thought that the rumors about Xiao Da Shao being unlearned and dissolute were just misrepresentations, when in fact he had real skills.

  Unexpectedly, he is not only uneducated and uncultured, but also a person who has learned a little skill and shows off everywhere, thinking that he is superior, truly unable to take the big stage.

  She had previously wondered if the elegance he showed was just a disguise, and that he was actually hiding his true nature.

  Lin Zhaoyan put away these irrelevant thoughts and started doing what he was supposed to be doing.

  Lin Ruoyan was still on the carriage and hadn't gotten down, having just experienced a bumpy ride all along. She finally confirmed that she had indeed arrived at Kui Shui ahead of time. The back of her skirt had already been stained with a small spot, and she was crying as if her life depended on it.

  If she doesn't hurry up and help her solve it, who knows what impulsive thing she'll do.

  Lu and Lin Jinming have already gotten down from another carriage.

  Lin Zhaoyan pulled out a silver ingot from his sleeve and handed it to the coachman, "You'll turn the carriage around in a little while and drive it to a secluded open space, be careful not to make too much noise."

  The carman smiled and took the money, "Don't worry, miss, I'll take care of it!"

  Lin Zhaoyan nodded and quickly walked towards Lu Shi and the others.

  She told Lu Shi about Lin Ruoyan's situation.

  Lu's face changed greatly, and he scolded: "What does this mean? Can't even remember what day it is? What's the use of having a brain?! Now let me send her back, how can I explain this to the Empress Dowager?"

  Lin Zhaoyan ignored her anger and said calmly, "If it's the 16th of every month, then coming early this time probably means something has gone wrong. Eldest Aunt, if you don't send Yuyan back, and a more embarrassing situation arises, Third Sister will also be implicated. I respect you as an elder which is why I came to discuss with you; otherwise, Zhaoyan could have directly spoken with the Empress Dowager."

  "You!" Lu was exasperated. "If Sister Rong doesn't use her brain when entering the palace for the third or fourth time, even if your aunt pleads on her behalf, it will be of no use! Don't implicate me at that time!"

  She was worried about what Old Lady Lin said this morning.

  Lin Zhaoyan said softly: "Don't worry, Auntie, I only ask you to go and greet the Empress Dowager, as for Grandmother's place, I will take care of it myself."

  If it weren't for her dislike of contacting the empress dowager, she could have gone to talk to the empress dowager herself and wouldn't need to look at Lu's expression here.

  Lu coldly snorted, "You two sisters are nothing but trouble for me!"

  But in the end, I still plan to go find the Empress Dowager.

  Before long, he came back.

  "You accompany Ruo Yan back to the palace to change, the Empress Dowager said that after changing, Ruo Yan can return directly to the manor. You still need to come over again." Lu Shi said, her eyes full of dissatisfaction.

  She had just reported Lin Ruoyan's affairs to the Empress Dowager, who only frowned for a moment before regaining her composure. She didn't care about Lin Ruoyan at all, but instead asked twice about Lin Zhaoyan's affairs. Looking at her attitude, it seemed like she wanted to arrange a marriage for Lin Zhaoyan!

  This time those who came to participate in the hunt are either rich or noble. Lin Zhaoyan can marry anyone she wants and will make a huge profit!

  And it won't be thinking of marrying Lin Zhao to which prince?

  Lu Shi never thought that Lin Zhaoyan would really enter the empress dowager's eyes.

  Lin Zhaoyan nodded and replied with a simple "good" before going to find Lin Ruoyan.

  Pomegranate was shocked when she heard that Lin Ruoyan was going back, "Why? Did something happen to the young lady?" She looked really anxious.

  Lin Zhaoyan glanced at her and said lightly: "Nothing, if you want to know, go ask Ruoyan yourself later."

  She wasn't afraid of being known by pomegranate, but didn't want to see her pretending.

  The pomegranate nodded slightly and then nodded in agreement.

  Lin Zhaoyan got on the horse-drawn carriage.

  Lin Ruoyan anxiously asked as soon as she saw her: "How is it? Doesn't anyone know?"

  "The empress dowager knows, wait for you to return to the palace and change your clothes before sending you back to the manor." Lin Zhao Yan looked at her quietly, word by word: "Ruo Yan, you probably won't have another chance."

  The more the empress dowager spoke in such a tone, the more it proved that she was truly disappointed with Lin Ruoyan.

  Lin Ruoyan bit her lip and said stubbornly: "Anyway, I didn't want to enter the palace either, this is just fine."

  "You clearly know it's not like that." Lin Zhaoyan sighed, not wanting to enter the palace was true, but it wasn't being passively calculated by others either.

  "This time the imperial edict will be issued ahead of schedule, it must be that someone has secretly manipulated things. You yourself should also be clear about this." She looked at Lin Ruoyan and said seriously: "Ruoyan, you must find out who this person is, otherwise there will be endless troubles later on. Think carefully, before entering the palace, what did you eat, use, or smell?"

  Xiao Xi's side, Xue Pingnan and Lu Yanqi have already returned.

  Everyone has more or less prey in their hands.

  As soon as he saw the Emperor, Xiao Wangye and the Empress Dowager, he immediately knelt down to pay his respects.

  The emperor already knew about their competition and laughed loudly: "You've lost, Zi Shu shot down three bald eagles early on, everyone saw it!"

  Xue Pingnan was taken aback, "Really?"

  Then he realized that looking down on his son in front of Xiao Wangye was not proper, and hastily changed his words, "Xiao Da Shao is indeed formidable, I admire him sincerely, willing to admit defeat!"

  Xiao Xi hooked her lips, and in the depths of her eyes, a sly smile was hidden. "What Xiao wants you to do is still not something you can accomplish now, but there's no rush. With His Majesty as witness, I'm not afraid that you'll go back on your words."

  It was originally just a small fight between the sons of the nobles, but Xiao Qi made it seem like they were really going to do something big.

  Xue Pingnan looked at Xiao Xi's sly smile and felt that he had been played.

  How could it be so coincidental that he shot the eagle and was seen by the Emperor?

  Although they were discontented in their hearts, with the Emperor present, they could not act presumptuously and had to say: "If Shao has any difficulties in the future, please don't hesitate to speak out, Xue will definitely keep his word!"

  Xiao Xi smiled contentedly and his gaze swept over the remaining few people, "You all owe me too, when I remember, I will naturally inform each of you."

  Originally wanted to tease Xiao Qi, but unexpectedly lost a promise for no reason, and the hearts of all the young masters are bleeding.

  Who knows what kind of outrageous demands Xiao Qi will come up with!

  Won't they just go after whichever girl he takes a fancy to later on?

  Lu Yan looked at Xiao Qi, his eyes dim and gloomy.

  Such a Xiao Qi, with his sharp edges and corners exposed, has already shown signs of his strategic mind, so why would people be deceived by his playful and irreverent exterior, thinking that all his dazzling brilliance is just self-importance, fleeting like a brief flower?

  It was him, surprisingly he also misjudged in his past life.

  Xiao Xi turned to the Emperor again, "Imperial Uncle, just now when I was shooting eagles, who was that green-clad young girl beside Imperial Grandmother? The Imperial Nephew thinks she is quite interesting."

  Lu Yan smiled.

  It's just like that, Xiao Qi always "shows his true colors" when others are about to look up to him, making people sigh and think, oh, it's just like that!

  Xiao Wangye's face changed greatly, "You scoundrel, today is for hunting, what did you think it was for?"

  The emperor smiled and said, "It doesn't matter." He then turned to Xiao Qi and said, "She is Shen Zhongling, the orphaned daughter of General Shen. She's a tiger girl from a military family who grew up in the southwest with her uncle. Now that she's sixteen, it's time for her to get married. Your imperial grandmother remembers General Shen's contributions to the court and has specially summoned her back to the capital to take a look at her. If you like her, your uncle will act on your behalf."

  Xiao Qi is eighteen this year and has reached the age of getting married, but he has been fooling around all the time. There isn't even a decent concubine in the mansion.

  The empress dowager was also anxious and asked him to help arrange a marriage.

  Shen Zhongling's status is noble, her father was a high-ranking official of the previous dynasty, her uncle Xīnán Bó commanded tens of thousands of troops in the southwest, and the empress dowager also intended to give her face by granting her the title of junzhu, marrying Xiao Qi would not be unworthy.

  The most important thing is that Shen Zhongling does not have a real maternal family, and therefore does not have any real help, making her suitable to be the daughter-in-law of Xiao Wangye.

  What he's afraid of is that Xiao Qi looks down on himself.

  As expected, Xiao Qi's face changed, with a repulsive expression. "Forget it, such a good girl shouldn't be married to me and wasted."

  His Majesty was not in a hurry either, he knew that Xiao Qi had not played enough, but he still had to calm down and marry his wife. This Shen Zhongling was left for him, and when the time came, whether he wanted it or not, he would have to take it!

  Xiao Wangye knew the emperor's thoughts, and he sneered in his heart. Did they think they could force a daughter-in-law on him? He'd see if she had what it took to enter the Xiao Wangfu's gates!

  The Empress Dowager pulled Shen Zhongling's hand and said, "Child, have you seen? Did I deceive you?"

  Shen Zhongling's face turned red, although she grew up in the southwest and had a heroic spirit of the vast desert, it did not prevent her from having a little girl's thoughts.

  "Look at him, he's indeed a real man."

  The empress dowager smiled with satisfaction.

  She was most worried about Xiao Qi's marriage, which was not just an ordinary marriage. As the daughter-in-law of Xiao Wangye, she had to be carefully selected. One mistake would offend either Xiao Wangye or the Emperor.

  What's even more frustrating is that Xiao Qi has a notorious reputation, and no decent girl would be willing to marry him. Although they are royalty, they can't really do whatever they want without any consideration.

  Then she thought of General Shen's orphaned son, Shen Zhongling.

  This child is so good! Growing up in the southwest since childhood, she doesn't know the true face of Xiao Qi at all. As long as she is slightly deceived, she will be willing to marry him willingly. Moreover, she has no maternal family to rely on. Even if she suffers grievances after marriage, who can she complain to? Can't she really run thousands of miles back to the southwest?

  Now Shen Zhongling's side is no longer a problem, the key is how to make Xiao Qi fall in love with her.

  The empress patted her hand, "Child, it's fine if you like him, but Xi Er is a strange child. He doesn't like others arranging his life, so this marriage, I won't easily grant, you need to capture Xi Er's heart first."

  Shen Zhongling's face turned even redder, like the half of the sky that was set aflame by the sunset glow.

  "Child, go! You are the daughter of Jiangmen, and your martial arts skills have been accomplished. Today's hunt, you must make everyone look at you with new eyes, and let Xi'er remember you forever."

  The hunt has begun.

  The emperor led a team of vanguard troops to set out first, with white blades shining brightly, banners and flags covering the sun, and an imposing momentum.

  The women watched from the side.

  Lu Yan's eyes scanned the crowd in the morning, and his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

  Didn't you say Zhaoyang would come today too?

  How come I didn't see her?

  He looked at Lin Jingming who was waving at him and furrowed his brow, but eventually walked towards her.